Automatic finding assembly machine



July 30, 1963 M. KORTICK AUTOMATIC FINDING ASSEMBLY MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19, 1960 INVENTOR MORRIS KORTICK ATTOR Y July 30, 1963 M. KORTICK AUTOMATIC FINDING ASSEMBLY MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1960 INVENTOR. MORRIS KORTICK July 30, 1963 M. KORTICK AUTOMATIC FINDING ASSEMBLY MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 19, 1960 Viz/1 Ill! IIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR.

MORRIS KORTICK BY 22 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,099,068 AUTOMATIC FINDING ASSEMBLY MACHINE Morris Kortick, Cranston, R1, assignor to Monarch Tool Co., Providence, 12.1., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed July 19, 1960, Ser. No. 43,783

3 Claims. (Cl. 29-10) My present invention relates to the stone setting art, and more particularly to a machine for automatically setting rhinestones or other ornamental objects in preformed findings having settings therefor.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a stone setting machine which will set a plurality of stones simultaneously in a preformed finding.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a stone setting machine which will operate automatically with a minimum attendance by an operator for setting a plurality of stones in a finding at a single stroke.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stone setting machine adaptable for the complete assembly of findings at high speeds with a minimum of errors.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a finding setting machine which constitutes a variation of the Automatic Ornament Setting Machine disclosed in my copending application Serial Number 845,204, filed October 8, 1959.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed descrip tion following in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation thereof, partially broken away, taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section of the pick up and crimpin g head.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

In my copending application above referred to I have provided an automatic machine for setting rhinestones in chains of settings at high speed. The machine is adaptable to operate on one or more continuous lengths of chain. However, a large amount of costume jewelry comprises findings in various shapes and configurations in which a multiplicity of stones are set. Heretofore, such findings were set by hand since no suitable automatic device has been perfected for such operation. The present invention comprises a variation of the apparatus disclosed in my copending application adapted to the assembly of rhinestones in findings.

While certain basic principles of my copending application have been applied to the present invention major changes have been made to adapt the device to the assembly of complete findings.

While the drawings, see FIG. 3, illustrate the operating portions of the machine mounted at an angle to the horizontal, this has been done for facilitating the feeding of the stones. In actual practice the device will operate when mounted horizontally. Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a generally rectangular base 10 mounted on legs or brackets 11 which raise the base from table level. Referring to FIG. 1, an annular plate 12 is mounted in the lower left hand corner of the base 10 and a second annular plate 13 is mounted in the lower right hand corner of the base 10, the plates 12 and 13 being adjacent each other. The plate 12 is bolted at 14 new to the top of a shaft 15 which rotates the plate 12 in a clockwise direction. The plate 13 is bolted at 16 to the top of a shaft 17 which rotates the plate 13 in a clock wise direction. A cylinder 18 is positioned on the base 10 surrounding the plate 12. to form a hopper for which the plate 12 forms a rotatable bottom. The bottom edge of the cylinder 18 is provided with a slot at a point adjacent the plate 13 through which the pick up mechanism enters the hopper. This slot extends between the dotted lines 19 and 20 in FIG. 1. A slot thus formed is sealed off from the hopper 18 by an auxiliary arcuate wall portion 21 which extends downwardly to a point just clearing the plate 12 except where having brushes 24. The hopper 18 is also provided with spaced strips 22 and 23 positioned on each side of the wall portion 21 in the path of movement of the plate 12. As can be seen in FIG. 3 the bottom edge of the strips 22 and 23 and of the intervening wall portion 21 are raised and provided with brushes or bristles 24 which sweep the top of the plate 12.

The plate 12 is provided adjacent its periphery with spaced openings 25 grouped and arranged in the shape of the finding to be assembled. In the illustrated form each group of openings 25 is oval in shape to assemble an oval finding. It should be noted that each group of openings 25 are disposed with their axis at an angle to a radius of the plate 12 to coincide with the arcuate swinging movement of the pick up and assembly head. For dif-, ferent findings of different shapes a separate plate 12 and complementary plate 13 must be provided and also a separate pick up head. Each opening 25 is tapered as shown in FIG. 4 so that the tapered bottom of a rhinestone will fit into the opening. When the plate 12 is rotated and the cylinder 18 is filled with rhinestones, it will be found that the openings 25 become filled with the rhinestones which usually fall with the tapered bottom downwardly. Those stones which are in upside down position will be straightened or brushed as they pass under the brushes 24. Note that the upper portion of each rhinestone has a flat surface which will not fit down into the opening. Also that in inverted position the pointed bottom will thus extend further upwardly than in right side up position. The plate 12 is mounted on a shaft 15 which is journaled in a bearing 26 mounted on the bottom of the base 10 as shown in FIG. 2. The lower end of the shaft 15 is provided with a ring gear 27 which is driven by a worm .28 mounted on a shaft 29 in spaced brackets 30 extending beneath and perpendicular to the base 10. The shaft 29 is driven through a small bevelled gear 31 at one end meshing with a large bevelled gear 32 which is mounted on a drive shaft 33 which extends at right angles to the shaft 29. The drive shaft 33 is journaled in bearings 34 at each end of the shaft adjacent corners of the base 10 as shown in FIG. 2. Rotation of the main drive shaft 33 may be by any suitable means such as the chain and sprocket drive 35 at one end. Rotation is thus transmitted from the main drive shaft 33 through bevelled gears 32 and 31 to the shaft 29 then through the worm 28 and gear 27 to the shaft 15.

To ensure a proper positioning of the rhinestones in the openings 25 it is preferred that each group of openings make three circuits before being positioned beneath the pick up and assembly head. This will ensure a proper positioning and filling of all the cavities in each group of openings. To accomplish this the drive ratio of the gears described hereinabove are designed to rotate the plate 12 at a four to one ratio to the rotation of the large bevelled gear 32. However, as can be seen in FIG. 3, one quarter of the teeth of the bevelled gear 32 are removed at 36. This reduces the ratio to a three to one ratio with a hesitation equivalent to one quarter of the rotation of the gear 32. During this hesitation the pick up of the stones takes a place. By providing the plate 12 with twenty groups of openings 25 it will take three revolutions of the plate 12 before a particular group of openings is positioned under the pick up and assembly head.

The plate 13 is rotatable on a shaft 17 which is also provided with a ring gear 37 driven by a worm 38 mounted on a shaft 39 journaled in bearing blocks 40 similar to the drive of the plate 12 as shown in FIG. 2. The shaft 39 is provided with a bevelled gear 41 which meshes at right angles with a bevelled gear 42 mounted on a main drive shaft 33. The bevelled gear 42 is larger than the gear 41 normally providing a two to one drive ratio. However, half the teeth of the gear 42 are removed reducing the ratio one to one with a hesitation of one half revolution. Referring to FIG. 1, the plate 13 is provided with groups of openings 43 shaped similarly to the openings 25 in the plate 12. The openings 43 are shaped to receive the bottom portion of the group of connected settings forming a finding 13a. In the illustrated form they will be similar to the shape of the openings 25 and at an angle to the radius of the plate 13 to align with the arcuate motion of the pick up head. Each finding is positioned by the operator manually into the nearest group 43 as viewed from the front edge of the base in FIG. 1. With each group of openings filled with the finding, each finding comes to a stop beneath the operating head in consecutive order, the plate 13 rotating clockwise. Since the operator positions the finding on the plate 13 manually, it is unnecessary to skip as in the plate 12.

Each group of stones in the openings 25 must be picked up from the plate 12, swung over a finding in the plate 13, placed in the settings in each finding and locked into the settings. This is accomplished by the pick up and assembly head 44 pivotally mounted at approximately the center of the base 10 at a tangent to the plates 12 and 13. The pick up and assembly head 44 comprises an elongated rectangular block which is mounted on a vertical shaft extending adjacent one end through the base 10 and terminating in a ring gear 45 mounted in a support 46 as shown in FIG. 2. The head 44 is kept in raised position by a suitable spring, which can be mounted in a hollow portion of the shaft and bearing against the support 46, as shown in dotted lines at 46a in FIG. 2. The front end of the head 44 is constructed as shown in FIG. 4. A block 47 is mounted at the bottom leaving an opening 48 which extends rearwardly about halfway through the head 44. The opening 48 is connected by flexible tubing 49 to a source of controlled vacuum and air pressure as hereinafter described. The block 47 is provided with a plurality of vertical openings 50 arranged to conform to the groups of openings 25 in the plate 12 and to the groups of settings in each finding. Each opening 50 is provided with a lower narrow portion 51 terminating in a tapered opening 52. A tubular sliding member 53 is slidably mounted in the narrow portion 51 and having an enlarged upper end 54 for sliding in the enlarged portion of the opening 50. A coil spring 55 is mounted above the tubular member extending upwardly against the head 44. Arcuate motion of the head 44 is imparted by the drive mechanism shown in FIG. 2. A rack 56 is mounted in a housing 57 so that one end of the rack engages the teeth of the ring gear 45. The other end of the rack is provided with a pin 58 which extends into a coil spring 60 which normally urges the rack 56 downwardly as shown in FIG. 2. The other end of the rack is provided with a bracket 61 carrying a rotating wheel 62 which bears against a cam 63 mounted on the main drive shaft 33. With each revolution of the drive shaft the cam 63 pushes the rack 56 upwardly against the action of the spring 60 rotating the gear 45 and therefore the head 44 in one direction After the passage of the high point on the cam the spring 60 pushes the rack 56 downwardly rotating the gear45 and head 44 in the opposite direction The cam 63 is provided with extended portions on its low and high points so that there will be a lag before each swing. The head 44, shown in FIG. 1 to the left over the plate 12 will be swung to the right over the adjacent portion of the plate 13 and then back again. At the extremity of each swinging movement there will be a lag to permit the head 44 to pick up the rhinestones in the position shown in FIG. 1 and to deposit the rhinestones and lock them in place when the head has been swung to the other side over the plate 13. To ensure the proper position of the head 44, an L-shaped stop member 64 is mounted on the base 10 with the shorter arm having an adjustable pin 65 which bears against the back end of the head 44 as shown in FIG. 1 to limit its swinging movement to the left. The longer arm is provided with an adjustable pin 66 against which the side of the head 44 abuts in its swing to the right. The pins 65 and 66 may be adjusted to provide a proper positioning of the head over the rhinestones and over the finding.

The head 44 has two additional motions beside the arcuate motions above described. In the position shown in FIG. 1 it must descend on the plate 12 and gently contact and pick up the rhinestones. When it is swung over the plate 13 it must descend to deposit the rhinestones in the finding and lock them in position. This action is a longer downward movement than that used in picking up the finding. The dual vertical movement of the head 44 is provided by a single rocker arm and a pair of cam operated rods. Referring to FIG. 1 a rocker arm 67 is pivotally mounted in a block 68 on the base 10. One end of the arm 67 is bolted at 69 to the top of the shaft support ing the head 44. The other end of the rocker arm 67 comprises a block 74 A pair of rods 71 and 72 extend from the block 70 through a bearing collar 73, see FIG. 3, and through the base 10 to a position over a collar 74 mounted on the drive shaft 33 as shown in FIG. 2. The collar 74 is provided with a pair of cam members 75 and 76 each positioned under one of the rods 71 and 72. Ro tation of the collar 74 will cause one of the earns 75 or 76 to push one of the rods 71 or 72 upwardly causing the rocker arm 67 to push the operating head 44 downwardly. Further rotation of the collar 74 will release one cam and then cause the other cam and the other rod to again push the head 44 downwardly. The high point on one cam is higher than the high point on the other so that the downward motion of the head 44 when it is over the plate 13 is more extreme than when it is over the plate 12.

The operation of the device may now be described as follows:

The cylinder 18 is filled with rhinestones and the operator fills the lower half of the plate 13 with findings 13a. The drive is started rotating the drive shaft 33. As the plates 12 and 13 rotate clockwise the head 44 in the position shown in FIG. 1 will be pushed downwardly over a group of stones in the openings 25 as shown in FIG. 4. The downward motion of the head 44 is such that the tubes 53 contact and are held against the tops of the stones. In the meanwhile a vacuum pressure is exerted through the tube 49 so that the stones are held by suction at the ends of the cylinders 53. As described above the head 44 moves upwardly carrying the stones with it and is then swung to the right over the plate 13 and over the finding 13a on the plate 13. The head 44 now moves downwardly depositing the stones in the finding 13a. Further downward motion of the head 44 causes the cylinders 53 to be pushed upwardly against the action of the springs 55 until the tapered ends 52 of the openings 51 engage the prongs on the stone settings and bend them inwardly over the stones to lock them in place. At this point the vacuum is released and the head moves upwardly and back to the position shown in FIG. 1 to repeat the operation. It is possible that particles of glass or dirt will clog the cylinders 53. Therefore during the return movement of the head 44 the vacuum pressure is changed to a blowing action to blow the head clear. At the same time ablast of air is blown through the tube 77 mounted over the plate 13 so that the completed finding 13a will be blown off the plate and into a suitable receptacle placed adjacent the base. This leaves the cavity clear and ready for the insertion of another finding 130.

I have thus provided a machine for automatically inserting a plurality of stones into a plurality of settings forming a finding in a single operation. A great deal of labor in the assembly of such findings is thus saved. The device is simple in construction and operation. Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A machine for setting a plurality of rhinestones simultaneously in a finding having a plurality of settings comprising a base, a hopper mounted on said base for holding a plurality of rhinestones, said hopper having a cylindrical side wall and a rotating bottom, said side Wall having an opening, a rotatable plate mounted on said base adjacent said hopper for feeding successive findings to an assembly position, means for intermittently rotating said plate to position successive findings in assembly position on said base, said rotating means including a vertical shaft, said plate being mounted on said shaft, a :gear on the lower end of said shaft, and a driving gear meshing with said shaft gear, said driving gear having a two to one ratio to said shaft gear, half the teeth of said driving gear being removed to provide a one to one drive and a hesitation of half a revolution, and suction means mounted on said base for removing a plurality of rhinestones from said hopper through said opening and for placing and locking said rhinestones in said finding in assembly position.

2. A machine for setting a plurality of rhinestones simultaneously in a finding having a plurality of settings comprising a base, a hopper mounted on said base for holding a plurality of rhinestones, said hopper having a cylindrical side wall and a rotating bottom, said side wall having an opening, a rotatable plate mounted on said base adjacent said hopper for feeding successive findings to an assembly position, and suction means mounted on said base for removing a plurality of rhinestones from said hopper through said opening and for placing and locking said rhinestones in said finding in assembly position, said hopper bottom having groups of tapered openings adjacent the periphery thereof for holding rhinestones in right side up position and said rotatable plate having complementary groups of openings adjacent the periphery thereof for holding findings, said hopper bottom being mounted on a central vertical shaft extending through said base, and means for intermittently rotating said shaft to move three groups of rhinestone openings with each assembly sequence, said intermittent rotating means including a gear on said shaft and a driving gear meshing with said shaft gear, said driving gear having a four to one ratio to said shaft gear, one fourth of the teeth of said driving gear being removed to provide a three to one drive and a hesitation of one fourth of a revolution.

3. A machine for setting a plurality of rhinestones simultaneously in a finding having a plurality of settings comprising a base, a hopper mounted on said base for holding a plurality of rhinestones, said hopper having a cylindrical side wall and a rotating bottom, said side wall having an opening, a rotatable plate mounted on said base adjacent said hopper for feeding successive findings to an assembly position, means for intermittently rotating said plate to position successive findings in assembly position on said base, said rotating means including a vertical shaft, said plate being mounted on said shaft, a gear on the lower end of said shaft, and a driving gear meshing with said shaft gear, said driving gear having a two to one ratio to said shaft gear, half the teeth of said driving gear being removed to provide a one to one drive and a hesitation of half a revolution, and suction means mounted on said base for removing a plurality of rhinestones from said hopper through said opening and for placing and locking said rhinestones in said finding in assembly position, said hopper bottom having groups of tapered openings adjacent the periphery thereof for holding rhinestones in right side up position and said rotatable plate having complementary groups of openings adjacent the periphery thereof for holding findings, said hopper bottom being mounted on a central vertical shaft extending through said base, and means for intermittently rotating said shaft to move three groups of rhinestone openings with each assembly sequence, said intermittent rotating means including a gear on said shaft and a driving gear meshing with said shaft gear, said driving gear having a four to one ratio to said shaft gear, one fourth of the teeth of said driving gear being removed to provide a three to one drive and a hesitation of one fourth of a revolution.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,465,446 Lombardi Aug. 21, 1923 2,070,737 Kahan Feb. 16, 1937 2,260,572 Russa et al Oct. 28, 1941 2,858,597 Kraemer Nov. 4, 1958 

1. A MACHINE FOR SETTING A PLURALITY OF RHINESTONES SIMULTANEOUSLY IN A FINDING HAVING A PLURALITY OF SETTINGS COMPRISING A BASE, A HOPPER MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR HOLDING A PLURALITY OF RHINESTONES, SAID HOPER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL AND A ROTATING BOTTOM, SAID SIDE WALL HAVING AN OPENING, A ROTATABLE PLATE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE ADJACENT SAID HOPPER FOR FEEDING SUCCESIVE FINDINGS TO AN ASSEMBLY POSITION, MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY ROTATING SAID PLATE TO POSITION SUCCESSIVE FINDINGS IN ASSEMBLY POSITION ON SAID BASE, SAID ROTATING MEANS INCLUDING A VERTICAL SHAFT, SAID PLATE BEING MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, A GEAR ON THE LOWER END OF SAID SHAFT, AND A DRIVING A GEAR MESHING WITH SAID SHAFT GEAR, SAID DRIVING GEAR HAVING A TWO TO ONE RATIO TO SAID SHAFT GEAR, HALF THE TEETH OF SAID DRIVING GEAR BEING REMOVED TO PROVIDE A ONE TO ONE DRIVE AND A HESITATION OF HALF A REVOLUTION, AND SUCTION MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR REMOVING A PLURALITY OF RHINESTONES FROM SAID HOPPER THROUGH SAID OPENING AND FOR PLACING AND LOCKING SAID RHINESTONES IN SAID FINDING IN ASSEMBLY POSITION. 